Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hermel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hermel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $904 in Hermel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,415 in Hermel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,925 in Hermel.

Living in Medellin is roughly 12% more expensive than Hermel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Hermel 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.92 LBP 977.0K

-45.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$59.1 LBP 5.3M

-43.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.01 LBP 717.2K

-9.74%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.35 LBP 299.5K

-51.34%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.58 LBP 141.5K

-31.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.55 LBP 317.8K

-50.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.96 LBP 444.0K

-34.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.74 LBP 155.6K

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.85 LBP 76.3K

51.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.84 LBP 164.3K

-28.26%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.13 LBP 280.1K

-27.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

-61.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$9.35 LBP 836.6K

-37.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.33 LBP 1.0M

-24.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.75 LBP 156.4K

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.45 LBP 129.6K

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.09 LBP 97.2K

39.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.09 LBP 97.2K

30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.96 LBP 85.5K

21.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.83 LBP 73.9K

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 LBP 49.4K

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.45 LBP 219.4K

-8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.82 LBP 879.0K

12.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.23 LBP 110.5K

-7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.15 LBP 192.8K

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.90 LBP 438.5K

-71.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.28 LBP 115.0K

48.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.81 LBP 1.8M

-60.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.91 LBP 81.0K

10.99%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-50.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

-3.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$218 LBP 19.5M

-61.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$37.70 LBP 3.4M

-74.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.68 LBP 3.3M

-34.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.18 LBP 731.9K

-49.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$308 LBP 27.5M

1.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,499 LBP 402.7M

33.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$72.3 LBP 6.5M

-19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$45.06 LBP 4.0M

-27.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$122 LBP 10.9M

-18.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$95.2 LBP 8.5M

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hermel: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Hermel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $232 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Hermel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hermel wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hermel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,356 in Hermel to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $904 in Hermel – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $904 in Hermel versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hermel but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hermel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hermel delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $904 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hermel hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Hermel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.